Natural Parents
by The Blister Pearl Lady
Summary: Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune end up accidentally raising the late Minato and Kushina's daughter. But it's a long and bumpy ride through childhood. My attempt to do something new with an old story. For plot related, "private Naruto world theory" reasons, eventual pairings include SasuNaru, GaaNaru, NaruNeji, and ItaNaru. Fem Naruto.


Prologue: Good Ideas and Psychic Moments

"You're having a daughter and you want _me_ to be the godfather? You're…. sure that's a good idea?" said Jiraiya.

Minato smiled. "We're operating under the private idea that you'd protect my daughter most strongly from all the types of men just like you." Kushina had put a hand to her mouth and was obviously trying not to laugh from the doorway behind him, her shoulders shaking.

"… Oh," said Jiraiya, thinking, _… Shit. They're probably right._

He tried to come up with another good argument against becoming the godfather of a tiny rugrat. There was a reason he'd never had any himself.

"Well…" And then he saw Minato's hopeful expression and he sighed, shoulders slumping. "Look, I'll only do it because I like you."

"How generous of you," said Kushina.

Jiraiya pretended not to hear her. "I have another idea, though," he said loudly, and the couple paused. "She's a girl, right? Isn't it only fair that she also have a godmother?

"I almost feel bad for saddling the little shit like this… But I was thinking of talking to Tsunade-hime." Jiraiya said the last part in a mutter, gruffly, his eyes glancing away.

Kushina gasped in delight and Minato brightened. "She's left the village! Do you think you could manage it?!" said Minato eagerly.

"I… can leave the village, find her, and try. But I'd better hurry." Jiraiya stood quickly, eyeing Kushina's swelling belly. "You said you've only got a month left till B-Day, right?"

"Correct," said Kushina, and Jiraiya made to rush away from the low-set table and out of the traditional rice paper screen lined room. "Oh, and Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya looked back around, harried.

Kushina gave a secretive smile. "We want her godparents to name her. Send us a letter when you know, will you?"

"… _Know_ ," said Jiraiya, smiling weakly. "You say it like we'll all have a psychic moment or something."

"You never know." Kushina smiled mischievously and sashayed away. "I have a strong belief in psychic moments.

"In a feudal system like ours, with a family like ours, she'll have suitors lining up at her door even after she's already picked the first one or two. Make sure it's not a stupid name," was all Kushina would say primly.

"You're okay with her going through the multiple spouse feudal system," Jiraiya realized. "Right. So not stupid names. No WinklePicker Namikaze for this kid."

Kushina threw back her head and laughed. "Jiraiya, if Tsunade somehow gets away with letting you name our daughter WinklePicker, I'll make sure to tell everyone who asks _exactly_ who the name came from."

"She'll do it, too," said Minato with the dead-set certainty of someone who knew who he had married.

Jiraiya went cold somewhere in his gut. "I'll, uh - I'll get Tsunade and Shizune to help. We'll find a good name. We'll come up with something," he said, and ducked out of the home to what sounded suspiciously like laughter.

"Jiraiya!"

"Now what?" Jiraiya stuck his head back inside, irritated.

"We weren't actually going to leave you completely in the dark," said Minato cheerfully. "We were thinking Naruto. You know. Like the main male character in your book."

"But - BUT THAT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"

There was a startled pause.

The writer inside Jiraiya had just been unleashed.

"Oh, I am going to find the _perfect name!_ Princess Tsunade, too! _The perfect name!_ And I am going to write it to you guys while we travel back to Konoha, and you two are going to be amazed!

"I get to name a whole person! I'm going to do this! Decide _nothing_ until I've sent word!"

And with that Jiraiya sprinted away, out of their home and into the sunset, thundering to himself.

"He sounds alarmingly like Gai," said Minato.

"See?" said Kushina. "I told you he'd be a natural Dad. You think he'll be able to talk Tsunade into it?"

"Are you kidding me?" Minato grinned. "That woman's a sucker for kids. She always wanted one herself. Our daughter has it _made_.

"Because Jiraiya has the dedication that Tsunade doesn't. And Jiraiya may not have much responsibility. But Tsunade does."


End file.
